Page 25 (1/2)

Cradling her head in his hands, he bent to kiss her gently, with hot, shallow laps into herasp and strain, her own ses of his teeth She was so absorbed in tasting hih her, that it took her a little while to realize she was lying back on the bed with hi over her head

His lips slid to her throat, savoring her with slow, open kisses

"Wh-where are we?" sheas his mouth found a particularly sensitive place

"Gaered on that vulnerable spot until she writhed

"Where is the gamekeeper?"

Kev’s voice was passion-thickened "We don’t have one yet"

Win rubbed her cheek and chin against the heavy locks of his hair, relishing the feel of him "How is it that I’ve never seen this place?"

His head lifted "It’s far in the woods," he whispered, "away fro the tip "A gamekeeper needs peace and quiet to care for the birds"

Win was feeling anything but peace and quiet inside, her nerves strung tight, her wrists pulling at the silk bonds She was dying to touch him, to hold him "Kev, untie my arms"

He shook his head The leisurely pass of his hand along her front caused her to arch

"Oh, please," she gasped "Kev-"

"Hush," he rily over hers "I’ve wanted you for too long I need you toodelicacy "One touch of your hands and I wouldn’t last a second"

"But I want to hold you," she said plaintively

The look on his face sent a thrill through her "Before we’re through, love, you’re going to hold me with every part of your body" He covered her wild heartbeat with a gentle pal his head, he kissed her hot cheek and whispered, "Do you understand what I’ to do, Win?"

She took a fitful breath "I think so As in the past And of course, everyone sees the sheep and cattle in spring"

That drew a rare grin fro held to, we’ll have no trouble at all"

She captured hiled upward to reach hisone of his knees carefully between her thighs Gently farther, and farther, until she felt an intiun to ache The subtle rhythht surging fro this with awasn’t so it with a co into day, the silverywith chirps and rustlings… redstarts, ss She thought briefly of everyone back at Raone A chill went through her as she wondered if they would look for her If she returned as a virgin, any future with Merripen would be very itation, "perhaps you should hurry"

"Why?" he asked against her throat

"I’m afraid someone will stop us"

His head lifted "No one will stop us An entire ar strikes It’s still going to happen"

"I still think you should go a bit faster"

"Do you?" Merripen smiled in a way that ht, he was the handsomest man who had ever lived

He courted herher with deep, fervid kisses At the saown in his hands and pulled, tearing the garment in half as if it were no asp but held still

Merripen levered hi her wrists, he pulled the her body co her brsts to lift He stared at her pale pink nipples The soft growl that came from his throat caused her to quiver He bent and opened his ainst his tongue… so hot… she flinched as if the contact had scalded her When he lifted his head, the nipple was redder and tighter than it had ever been before

His eyes were passion-drowsed as he kissed her other breast His tongue provoked the soft peak into a stinging bud, soothing it arm strokes She pressed upward into the wetness, her breath mixed with low sobs He drew her nipple between his teeth, cla hands traced over her body, lingering in places of unbearable sensation

Reaching her thighs, he tried to part theerness to proceed had been obliterated by the dawning awareness of lavish moisture, there, which she had never expected or been told about

"I thought you said to hurry?" Merripen whispered near her ear His lips wandered over her cried, perturbed "I need to… well, to tidy up"

"Tidy up?" Giving her a quizzical glance, Merripen unwound the length of silk from around her wrists "You mean the room?"

"No, my… myself"

Perplexity worked a notch between his dark brows He stroked the seahtened thehtly, while utter tenderness rushed through his apart, finding the slick of ers "That you’re wet here?"

She closed her eyes and nodded with a choked sound

"No," he soothed, "this is good; this is how it’s supposed to be It helps hened "Oh, Win, you’re so lovely, let ony of hs open farther She tried to stay quiet and still, but her hps jerked as he stroked the place that had become almost painfully sensitive He murmured softly, passionately absorbed in the soft fe around and over her, tenderly nudging until one finger slid inside She stiffened and gasped, and the touch was immediately withdrawn

"Did I hurt you?"